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Happy holidays, everyone!

Spotting an open parking spot near her building, Yang pulled to the side of the road and backed Bumblebee into it.  Cutting the engine left a void of silence quickly filled by the sounds of the city as she popped the kickstand into place and leaned back.

“Here we are.”  Once Blake swung off the back of the bike, Yang turned around, pulled off her helmet, and grinned.  “Casa Xiao Long, as requested,” she added before running a hand through her hair.  “It’s nothing special, but you really wanted to come here for some reason…”

“I like your place,” Blake said after removing her own helmet and shaking out her hair.  “It’s nice.”

“Not as nice as your place.”

“Debatable,” Blake replied, laughing as Yang hopped off of Bumblebee and stretched her back.  “Why are you parking on the street?” Blake added, glancing between their parking spot and Yang’s building at the end of the block.

“They’re re-paving the parking lot.”  Yang gestured to the parking garage and rolled her eyes.  “Figures.  I finally get her back and have to park on the street.  Hopefully, it doesn’t rain.”

“Yes, the horror…”

“New paint!” Yang whined before sliding her hand across the handlebars.  “Never been drenched in acid rain, or covered in dirt kicked up by garbage trucks, or splashed by that gross water pooling in the gutters.  Just pristine, untouched beauty...”

“Do you two need some privacy…?”

“It’s just nice having her back!  It’s like...having a piece of my soul restored or something.”

When Blake smiled and shook her head, Yang stepped back and admired her motorcycle.  The repair shop did a fantastic job restoring Bumblebee to immaculate condition.  No one looking at her would have any idea that she’d been in an accident.  Even Yang, who knew Bumblebee better than anyone, could hardly tell what parts were new or not.

“And I’m a good driver, right?” she asked Blake, who made a ‘so-so’ gesture before laughing at Yang’s pout.

“I never thought you were a bad driver.  Just a little...reckless.”

“But I’m extra careful now,” Yang pointed out, but Blake sighed.

“Yes, with me around.  I know how you drive when you’re alone though.”

“You mean how I used to drive alone.”  When Blake scrunched up her nose, Yang grabbed her hand and tugged her away from Bumblebee.  “I promised to be careful, remember?  So I’ll be even more careful without you.”

“Why would you drive more carefully without me?”

The question had no right answer.  Thankfully, Blake just laughed and let Yang lead her to the building.

“Remember game night’s tomorrow,” Yang added.  “You’re still coming, right?”

“I said I would, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but that was yesterday, and Ruby’s texting me every day to confirm we’re still coming.”

“Why?  Is she worried we’ll back out?”

“That or she’s nervous about hosting her first event with Weiss.”

Happily swinging Blake’s hand, Yang shrugged at whatever was causing Ruby’s mini freak-out.  Blake hummed at the suggestion but said nothing, giving Yang enough time to come up with an even better explanation.

“Maybe she wants us to back out.”  When Blake’s brow rose, Yang lightly tickled her side to get her to smile.  “Think about it - Ruby’s always bragging about how smart Weiss is, but you’re super smart.  Maybe she’s worried we’ll win and make them look bad.

“And you say I’m competitive…” Blake muttered with a roll of her eyes but a suppressed smile.  Either she enjoyed Yang calling her smart or she liked the idea of matching Weiss in a battle of wits - possibly both.  “It’ll be fun to get together again,” she added, taking the diplomatic route for reputation’s sake.

“You’re right.  We don’t usually hang out with other couples.  It’ll be like...a double date.”

The phrase earned a thoughtful look from Blake, but she didn’t comment on it.  “What do you want to do today?” she asked instead.

“Good question…”

With the entire day ahead of them - an entire day they’d already planned on spending together - Yang was in no hurry to get inside.  Instead, she kept a slow, leisurely pace and mulled over their options.  Hours upon hours of dedicated, one-on-one Blake time was basically winning the lottery, and she wanted to savor every moment.

“Oh!” she said when the perfect idea popped into her head - one that included bonding time and an incredible view.  “We should go bowling.”

“Why do you like bowling so much?  Are you that much of a glutton for punishment?”

“Yes.”  When Blake laughed at the succinct response, Yang grinned and led them up the steps to her building.  “It’s really hot when you destroy me at things!  But I think I’ve gotten better.”

“How?  Have you been practicing without me?”

“Of course not.  I just...have an immense amount of confidence in myself...”

When Yang trailed off, Blake paused at the top of the steps and narrowed her eyes.

“You’re hiding something.”  Yang grimaced at being found out, but Blake smiled and squeezed her hand.  “What is it?”

Trapped now, Yang blew out a breath and fought against the blush warming her cheeks.  She could divert the conversation, but Blake wouldn’t forget - she would bring it up until she got an honest answer.  Plus, even though it was embarrassing, Yang kind of wanted to make this admission out loud.  Something about it felt scary yet exhilarating at the same time.

“Ok, fine,” she agreed.  “I don’t know if you’re aware, but you have an incredible ass.”

A startled laugh slipped through Blake’s lips, but Yang nodded and doubled down on the flattery.

“You do!  And when we go bowling, I get to spend half the time...you know…”  When Blake shook her head and feigned confusion, Yang sighed and said, “I get to stare at your ass.  There, are you happy?”

Based on Blake’s delighted laughter, the confession did make her happy.

“You realize that’s not a very friend-like thing to do, right?”

“It’s not?”  Blake shook her head, but Yang tapped her chin before smirking.  “Are you saying you’ve never stared at my chest?”

Blake’s mouth fell open, so Yang arched one brow and waited for a response.  Considering she just admitted her love for bowling began and ended with the opportunity to stare at Blake’s ass, she refused to set foot into the building without an honest answer in return.

“I...may have…” Blake hedged, her cheeks reddening in the process.  “By accident - sometimes...”

Yang expected the confession, but Blake’s shyness made her feel lighter than air.

“One - knew it.  You’re sneaky but you’re not that sneaky.”  When Blake’s blush deepened, Yang’s heart grew about twice as big.  “And two - nothing to be ashamed of!  Why do you think I wear low-cut tops around you?”

Blake’s jaw dropped at the disclosure, but Yang just winked, opened the door, and motioned Blake inside.

“I can’t believe you,” Blake scoffed while Yang followed her into the lobby.  “That’s entrapment, you know.”

“It’s encouragement,” Yang argued before laughing at Blake’s disbelief.  While Blake shook her head and headed toward the stairwell, Yang glanced at the only other person in the entryway - a woman standing near the elevator - and froze.

Yang would recognize her anywhere, but seeing her here, now, felt like someone just kicked her in the chest.  Her laughter trailed off, her smile disappeared, and the floor cemented around her ankles, preventing her from budging an inch.

Blake took several steps before noticing that Yang was no longer beside her.  Her brow furrowed as she returned to Yang’s side, but Yang couldn’t tear her gaze away from the person she never expected to see today.  Or tomorrow.  Or ever.  In her apartment building of all places, waiting for her to get home.

“What’re you doing here?” she asked, her tone blunt and deadened.

“I came to see you.”

The nonchalant response and accompanying shrug suggested this was just a typical Saturday.  As if Yang shouldn’t be taken aback by the shadow standing in front of her.  As if she should feel something other than upset about the unannounced intrusion into her life.

“Great.  You’ve seen me.  Now you can leave.”

“Yang?” Blake whispered while moving closer to Yang’s side, her worried gaze flitting between Yang and the woman.  She recognized Yang’s distress but not the situation causing it.  Of course, she had no way of understanding the situation because, in all the years they’d been friends, this was the first time this had happened.

“Blake, this is Raven.  My ‘mom.’”

Yang used air quotes knowing how much Raven disliked them, but Raven scowled and said nothing.  Blake, meanwhile, looked at Raven in shock before realization sank in.  With it, her expression fell.

“Oh.”

“Yup.”

Yang had nothing else to say while staring down the woman claiming to be her mother.  Her dad said they looked alike, but she didn’t see it.  Or maybe she just didn’t want to see it.  Their hair was the same length and had the same waviness to it, but hers was blonde and Raven’s was dark brown, nearly black.  Her eyes were light, Raven’s were dark.  She got her dad’s height, Raven was shorter in stature.  Most importantly, Yang had some sense of common decency - Raven did not.

Even now, Raven seemed unbothered that Yang was less than thrilled to see her.  She didn’t care enough to offer a ‘nice to meet you’ to Blake either.  She just crossed her arms and gave Yang a disinterested-yet-perceptive look, as if observing an animal in a zoo rather than her daughter.

She had never been one for many words, but now Yang understood that she used silence as a weapon.  By saying nothing, she forced everyone else to do the talking, unintentionally surrendering weaknesses or revealing secrets.  Every interaction was a battle Raven intended to win even if Yang had no interest in fighting anymore.

“What’re you doing here?” she repeated, wanting this over with sooner rather than later.

“I was in the area.”  Again, Raven shrugged - the indifferent gesture making Yang clench her jaw and ball her fingers into fists.  “Thought I’d stop by and see how you’re doing.”

“Just fine.  Thanks for asking - for the first time in years.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Shocking,” Yang snapped.  She didn’t want to talk, but she couldn’t walk away.  After all the times Raven hurt her, disappointed her, and made her feel useless, some foolish part of her still hoped that things would change.  That Raven might actually care one day, not just pay lip service to the idea of motherhood.

Well, Yang wished she could find that last glimmer of hope and snuff it out.  Raven would never care.  Not today, not ten years from now, not ever.  Her eyes already said as much, filled as they were with the casual detachment of being only partially invested in the conversation.

“I have time to get lunch,” Raven added, unaware of how quickly she had worn out her welcome - or fully aware but equally unconcerned.  “I just have to be at the airport by two.”

“I have plans.  Maybe you should call first next time.  Or, you know, send a message every once in a while.”

“Maybe I should go...” Blake whispered in the strained silence that followed, but Yang grabbed her hand and sent her a pleading look.

“Please stay,” she whispered back, knowing that Blake was the only thing holding her together right now.  If Blake left, she would have to face Raven’s cold, calculating manipulation on her own.  And she couldn’t do that.  She’d never been able to do it.

Blake’s glance at Raven implied discomfort with the situation, but she nodded and didn’t move.  She pressed closer to Yang’s side, actually, and held Yang’s hand tighter as they faced Raven together.  Assured by Blake’s presence, Yang took a deep breath and searched for some semblance of calm.  It was hard to find when her heart pounded in her ears and her palms clammed up, but it became especially difficult when Raven looked at their joined hands and then scrutinized Blake.

“Do you even know how long it’s been?” Yang asked, drawing Raven’s gaze back to her.  Raven frowned at the question, not like Yang had expected anything else.  “October, five years ago,” she answered since her ‘mom’ couldn’t.  “You dropped in on Ruby’s birthday party uninvited then couldn’t even make it to cutting the cake.”

“Something came up -”

“Something always comes up,” Yang shot back.  Feeling Blake squeeze her hand, she took a deep, shaky breath and tried to rein in her anger.  “You didn’t even bother saying goodbye,” she stated plainly.  “Now you show up five years later without a call or message in between?  How’d you even know where I live?”

When Raven opened her mouth, Yang raised one hand and shook her head.

“You know what, I don’t want to know.  If your job’s so important that you can’t even find time to reach out once in a while, why bother stopping by?  Why not wait ten years, or twenty?”

This was it - the opening Yang always gave even though she swore that she never would again.  The chance for Raven to say that she stopped by because she wanted to be here.  Because she wanted to see how Yang was doing, what she was up to, what she was like.

It was the chance for Raven to say that she was here because deep down, on some level, she cared.

“I swore an oath to this country,” she said instead, her eyes unreadable and her mouth set in a frown.  “It’s my duty to protect our livelihoods -”

“Save the recruiting speech.”  With confirmation that the last five years changed nothing, Yang’s chest tightened and her eyes stung with unshed tears.  “I have it memorized.  How you have a duty to uphold and lives to protect.  How much our country needs people like you - people willing to sacrifice everything for the greater good.”

Yang had been taught to cherish the people she loved.  That life was fleeting and they only had so much time to be there for each other.  She would never understand Raven’s way of thinking.  She never wanted to either.  Instead, she sniffed once, squared her shoulders, and shook her head.

“You know who actually understands sacrifice?  Dad.”

Yang could have said much more than that, but she didn’t need to.  Raven might never acknowledge it, but she knew that she wasn’t the only one who made ‘sacrifices.’  That was the only reason she didn’t challenge the statement - a blessing considering Yang’s throat tightened with emotion, making it difficult to speak.

“I’m not free for lunch,” she said, squeezing Blake’s hand and blinking to hold her tears at bay.  “And I have nothing else to say to you, so you can just leave.”

For a split second, Raven looked like she would argue.  Or defend herself.  Or say that she wasn’t leaving.  But if she did any of those things, she wouldn’t be the person Yang grew up wishing to know before realizing she wanted nothing to do with her.

Raven didn’t argue, protest, or insist that they sit down and have a real conversation.  She didn’t apologize.  She didn’t express regret or remorse for her decisions.  She just sized Yang up, as if determining how serious she was, before shrugging one last time.

“One day, you’ll understand.”

“You know, I keep thinking the same about you.”

The retort drew a long, hard gaze from Raven before she brushed past, walking away just as easily as the last time.  And the time before that, and the time before that.

Somehow, it still hurt.  Somehow, Yang still wished that Raven would fight for her, not with her.  That one day she would hear an ‘I’m sorry’ or an explanation that wasn’t wrapped in delusions of heroism.  An admission of failure, maybe, or acknowledgment of the personal shortcomings that led them here.  But, at the end of the day, the only thing that mattered to Raven was herself.  Serving their country, saving lives - all bullshit.  A convenient lie to hide who she truly was.

The front door opened and shut, but Yang didn’t move.  She stood there, staring at the elevator, trying to process what just happened.  Blake didn’t say anything, but she didn’t move or let go of Yang’s hand either.  She stayed right there, their shoulders nearly touching, and provided whatever nonverbal support she could.

Blake’s presence was the only thing keeping Yang from crying, screaming, or causing a huge scene.  The morning had started perfectly.  Getting Bumblebee back, driving around with Blake, having a great time, but now...now, she needed to be anywhere but here.

“I can take you home,” she whispered to the floor before briefly meeting Blake’s gaze.  “I’ll take you home,” she repeated, this time turning around and hurrying outside.  Raven was already long gone.  Still, Yang glanced around before setting her jaw and rushing over to Bumblebee.

“Yang.”  Blake quickly caught up and matched Yang’s brisk walk across the sidewalk.  “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Well I am,” Yang muttered without slowing her pace.  Making it to her motorcycle, she pulled on her helmet and swung her leg over the bike.

“Then I’m coming with you.”  Before Yang kicked the engine to life, Blake stepped in front of the motorcycle and grabbed the handlebars.  “I’m coming with you,” she repeated, her voice stern but her eyes concerned.  She thought Yang would say no.  That Yang would leave without her.

But Yang didn’t even consider it.  She nodded, and Blake immediately let go of the handlebars, grabbed her helmet, and hopped onto the back of the bike.  Once she wrapped her arms around Yang’s stomach, Yang revved the engine and tore off down the street.

The motion felt good.  The wind blowing against her felt good.  If Blake weren’t with her, she would drive faster in search of that adrenaline burst.  But she would never put Blake in danger, so she didn’t floor it or split lanes or cut through traffic.  She didn’t leave trails of rubber at stoplights or skid too sharply around corners.  She focused on Blake’s arms wrapped around her instead, keeping her grounded when all she wanted to do was run away.

Running away...together.  Driving through Vale’s busy streets and crowded highways until traffic dwindled.  Buildings became fewer and smaller, nature reclaimed the land in between.  Still, Yang kept driving, not choosing a destination yet knowing exactly where she was headed.

Quaint suburbs lay just outside the city limits.  Beyond them, farms and clusters of homes nestled amongst the trees.  Life moved slower here.  The unhurried pace suited some people better than others.  Personally, Yang spent much of her childhood wishing for something faster.

Now, the familiar scenery served as another measure of peace.  By the time they reached streets she could navigate with her eyes closed, her heart had stopped pounding and her breathing had returned to normal.  From there, it was only a few more turns before she pulled into a small, cracked parking lot sitting just beside the road.

The parking lot was empty, so Yang stopped closest to the tall, iron gates open every day from dawn to dusk.  After turning off the engine and waiting for Blake to hop off, she stood and half-heartedly motioned Blake after her.

She felt like she should say something.  At the same time, she knew she didn’t have to say anything at all.  Blake understood why they drove all the way out to a cemetery in Patch.  Blake understood why Yang would run here, of all places, and proved it by following Yang through the gates without a word.  She stuck close to Yang’s side but didn’t reach out for her, instead just silently walking along the stamped-dirt paths crisscrossing the silent estate.

Beautiful dogwood trees stood along one side of the cemetery.  They flowered every spring and showered the air with their small white petals.  Beneath them, a line of gravestones - one of which drew Yang closer.

She wished that she brought flowers, but a bouquet of fresh roses had already been placed on her mom’s grave.  Her dad must have been there recently...and that knowledge only made Yang angrier at the woman who breezed through their lives whenever it fit her schedule.

Stopping in front of that gravestone, where the ‘in loving memory’ and ‘beloved mother’ phrases poorly captured the vibrant life they represented, Yang stuck her hands in her pockets and sighed.  Blake stood close to her side but just far enough away that they didn’t touch, being there for her but giving her space to breathe.

She needed space to breathe, but she couldn’t imagine being alone.  And she couldn’t imagine being here with anyone else.

“H-hey Mom…” she whispered before rubbing her eyes.  By now, she’d stared at the gravestone so long that she had every speckle and etched letter memorized.

Summer Rose.  The dates seemed so long ago now, but Yang remembered the day like yesterday.  A beloved mother, wife.  Gone too soon.  Always in their hearts.

“I miss you,” she sighed before hanging her head and closing her eyes.  The memories always seemed clearer here.  The happy times, the sad times, the heartwrenching times…and today, the times they’d spoken about Raven.

Looking back on it, her mom never believed or agreed with the explanations she gave Yang.  Big, important responsibilities that only a few were skilled enough to handle...saving the world...patriotism.  She understood who Raven was, yet she still wanted Yang to believe there was a good reason for Raven’s absence.  She wanted Yang to be proud of the mother who wasn’t there.

Yet none of those reasons would ever have convinced Yang’s real mom to leave her daughters or her family.  There was only one way she would ever leave them...and it came far too early.

Maybe if she was still here, Raven’s random visits would hurt less.  Yang would call her and complain about how emotionally detached Raven was, how they were nothing alike, how they would probably never have a decent relationship.  She could assure Yang that those were valid feelings, that they didn’t have to have a good relationship, that Raven was only a small part of her life, but a part of it nonetheless.

But her mom wasn’t around to do that.  Instead, Raven just reminded her of what she’d lost.

“I can’t believe her…” she whispered as the first tear fell.  Frustrated that she was crying over someone she hardly even knew, she quickly sniffed and wiped her eyes.  “After all this time…” she muttered before wrapping her arms around herself.  “She shows up and acts like she was never gone.”

Blake faintly shifted between her feet but said nothing.  She didn’t have to say anything.  She was there, listening and supporting, and that was exactly what Yang needed.

“She was supposed to be my mom, Blake.”

But motherhood was earned, not given.  It took selflessness, love, and incredible devotion.  Reading ‘just one more’ bedtime story, buying bandaids with their favorite cartoon characters on them - knowing who their favorite cartoon characters were - wiping away their tears when they scraped their knees, teaching them how to tie their shoes and braid hair - those were the things that made a mother.

Yang’s mom was buried here.  Raven was just...a painful memory that she wished didn’t exist.  A nightmare that haunted her whenever she started to forget.  A reminder that before she was even old enough to speak, she was already a choice that could be walked away from.

“It sounds horrible,” she said as more tears welled in her eyes.  “But sometimes...I wish she’d died instead of my mom.  Then she could be the war hero, save the country or whatever she wants, and I’d still have my mom.”

“Yang…”

“And I wish I didn’t care!” she blurted out, throwing her arms up and turning away.  “But obviously I do, otherwise I wouldn’t feel this way.  Like she just took my heart and -”  She squeezed a fist in front of her before burying her face in her hands and mumbling, “Just like she did to Dad…”

Feeling a soft, gentle hand on her shoulder, she looked up and met Blake’s gaze.

“She tore his heart out and left him with me,” she said.  “Can you imagine?  Dumped by the person who was supposed to be the love of your life and stuck with a toddler.”

“Yang...I doubt your dad feels like he was ‘stuck’ with you.”

“What other choice did he have?  She didn’t give him one.”

“You’re his daughter.  He loves you.”

The certainty in Blake’s tone made Yang feel guilty for how that had sounded.  She’d never questioned that her dad loved her, and she never would.  He gave up so much for her and Ruby both.

“I know,” she assured Blake.  “I know he does.  I just...know how hard it was for him, and I can’t help thinking that she wouldn’t have left if not for me.”

“Yang…”

“What am I supposed to think?” Yang asked before Blake argued otherwise.  “They were fine.  They were happy.  Then I come along and she hardly makes it a year before realizing her true calling is anywhere but here.”

“It couldn’t have been you, Yang…you were just a baby.  They must have had issues before you were born, you just don’t know about them.”

“But don’t you see?”  Yang searched Blake’s eyes, silently pleading for some type of understanding or acknowledgment that she wasn’t crazy for feeling the way she did.  “Even if they were having issues, why couldn’t she stay for me?  She didn’t even try to stay in my life - she dropped off the face of the planet.  That’s how determined she was to leave me behind.”

“Some people aren’t meant to be parents…”

“Then why have kids?” Yang asked, waving her hand in indignation.  “Why have kids then?  What was the point?”

“I...I don’t know, Yang.”  When Yang shook her head and turned away, Blake grabbed her hand to stop her.  “But I’m glad she did.”

After looking at their joined hands, watching their fingers intertwine, Yang met Blake’s gaze.

“I’m glad she did,” Blake repeated with a small smile.  “Because you’re the most amazing, wonderful person I’ve ever met.  You have the biggest heart and care so much about your friends and family.  If she can’t see what an amazing person you are, then that’s her loss.”

Hearing those words, which meant more than she could ever express, Yang felt tears well in her eyes.  Without another word, she wrapped Blake in a hug and held her close, embracing her warmth and quiet, never-ending support.

“And it wasn’t fair for her to do what she just did...” Blake added in a whisper, gently rubbing Yang’s back while Yang burrowed into her hair.

It wasn’t.  It wasn’t fair to stop by unannounced and expect a warm welcome.  Just like it wasn’t fair to disappear for most of someone’s childhood and only show up after their mom passed away, as if that role could be stepped into like a pair of shoes.  Yang wished Raven understood that.  She wished Raven would realize how much her behavior chaffed and grated at wounds that would never fully heal.

When Blake tried to move away, Yang clutched her closer.  She pulled back only far enough to meet Yang’s gaze instead, and tenderly wiped the tears from Yang’s eyes.

“Yang, listen to me...” she said, her voice soft and caring.  “I don’t know what it’s like to go through what you’ve been through, but none of this is your fault.”

When Yang sighed and hung her head, Blake gently lifted her chin so that their eyes met once more.

“It’s not.  Your mom got sick - that was no one’s fault.”  Yang again lowered her gaze but looked back when Blake set a hand on her cheek.  “And I might’ve only met Raven once, but she doesn’t seem very...emotionally present.  That’s her problem, not yours.”

After a brief pause to consider that thought, Blake shook her head and rested her fingers on Yang’s cheek.

“You don’t have to be perfect,” she said, her eyes beseeching Yang to believe her.  “You can make mistakes and the people who truly care about you won’t leave.  They’ll forgive you.  They’ll stick around because they understand that no one’s perfect.  But you know what?  You’re pretty damn close.”

Blake gave a tiny smile with the joke, and a short laugh slipped through Yang’s lips.  With it, some of the darkness faded and the weight lifted from her heart.  She didn’t know how Blake knew exactly what to say, but that was everything she needed to hear.  That was everything her mom probably would have said, had she been around to say it.

“Thank you,” Yang whispered, feeling even better when Blake smiled.

“You’re an incredible person,” Blake whispered back, running her fingers through Yang’s hair as their eyes never strayed from each other.  “I know you don’t see it sometimes, but you are, and I’m so grateful to have you in my life.”

Rolling onto the balls of her feet, Blake pressed a kiss to Yang’s forehead.  The feeling was so light and comforting that Yang’s heart fluttered.  Then Blake kissed Yang’s cheek - another lingering kiss that made Yang’s skin tingle.

When Blake dropped back to her heels and searched Yang’s eyes for permission to some unspoken question, Yang didn’t look away.  Her heart drummed in her chest instead.  Her hands itched to pull Blake into her.  Her skin prickled with longing for the type of closeness she knew only Blake could give her.  The desire must have been mutual because the next second Blake leaned in and kissed her.

The kiss was soft and tender yet made Yang’s heart beat like crazy.  Blake’s lips against hers...the smell of Blake’s hair so near...the warmth of her skin...every sensation combining into an intoxicating experience that made Yang yearn for more.

So when it felt like Blake might pull away after one short, sweet kiss, Yang pressed forward.  She captured Blake’s lips and chased the heart-racing feeling that hadn’t left her thoughts since the last time it happened.  She didn’t want just a kiss, she wanted to kiss Blake - deeply, with everything she had - and Blake responded to that longing with a passion Yang would have never expected.

Any thought of her mom or Raven disappeared from her mind, replaced only with Blake.  Wanting Blake.  Loving Blake.

In all the years they’d known each other, Yang had stayed away from this out of fear of what it might do to their friendship.  That resolve was long gone as she pulled Blake against her and relished every second.

Kissing Blake was...amazing.  Yang had always imagined it would be, but she hadn’t even been close to just how amazing it was.  She couldn’t get enough of Blake’s lips - soft and gentle yet commanding and certain - and her heart rejoiced at every new line they raced across.  Blake’s fingers weaving through her hair, settling on the back of her neck, and pulling her closer.  Bodies pressed together, melding into one.  Blake’s tongue slipping into her mouth, moving against hers, wet and warm yet strong and playful.

There was no turning back from this.  Yang knew that, but she didn’t care right now.  All she cared about was expressing just how much Blake meant to her.  How she would give Blake everything if Blake only asked for it.

But that wouldn't be today.  They broke apart only when their fervor led them to labored breaths and flushed cheeks.  Blake opened her mouth but said nothing.  Her eyes searched Yang’s more intensely now, but Yang had no answer for what just happened, why, or what to do next.

Rather than say anything, she pulled Blake into another hug and buried her face in Blake’s hair.  Whether or not that was the response Blake expected, she sighed and hugged Yang closer.

“I’m sorry...” Blake whispered while rubbing Yang’s back, but she had nothing to apologize for.  She was the one who had always been there.  She was the one who stayed by Yang’s side no matter what.  And Yang loved her for it.  Yang loved her deeply, passionately, in a way she’d never loved anyone before.  Her heart had known that for a long time, but her mind couldn’t hide from it any longer.

Blake was her best friend, but Yang loved her more than that.  Yang loved her more than she could ever express in words, so she did the only thing she could think of - held Blake close and prayed that she never had to let go.

Comments

Amara Wolfe

That was a wild ride of emotions and now I really can't wait for the next chapter!

Ben Lockwood

I love it! That clue x 4 finally connected!